Democratic U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland holds a 59 - 32 percent likely voter lead over
Republican Secretary of State Ken Blackwell in the race for Ohio Governor with three
weeks to go before election day, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
Nine percent are undecided and 13 percent say they might change their mind before
Election Day.

This compares to a 55 - 34 percent Strickland lead in a September 19 poll by the
independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University.

Even white evangelical Christians, normally a solid Republican bloc, split with 47
percent for Blackwell and 44 percent for Strickland. In 2004, for instance, this group
favored President George W. Bush by a 3 - 1 margin.

"Rep. Ted Strickland's lead is large; it is broad and it is deep. He may not be ready
to order the drapes for his Capitol office, but he might want to begin perusing the
catalogue," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling
Institute.

By a 42 - 14 percent margin, Ohio voters have a favorable opinion of Strickland,
with 24 percent mixed and 17 percent who haven't heard enough to form an opinion.

Blackwell gets a negative 25 - 39 percent favorability, with 20 percent mixed and
14 percent who haven't heard enough to form an opinion. This compares to a negative
27 - 32 percent favorability September 19.

"A candidate can't win an election if more voters view him unfavorably than
favorably. Ken Blackwell's problem isn't that voters don't think they know enough about
him. His problem is they think they do, and don't like him," said Brown.

"To win the election, Blackwell would need to convince voters that their initial
judgment of him was wrong . That is a very difficult task, especially when less than 10
percent of Strickland supporters say they might change their minds."
Governor Taft's Approval

By an overwhelming 80 - 11 percent margin, Ohio voters disapprove of the job
Gov. Robert Taft is doing, compared to a 78 - 14 percent disapproval last month.

"Certainly the unpopularity of a Republican Governor and a Republican President
could be rubbing off on Blackwell, but he is too far behind for that to be a determining
factor," said Brown.

From October 10 - 15, Quinnipiac University surveyed 901 Ohio likely voters,
with a margin of error of +/- 3.3 percentage points. The survey includes 272 self-
described white evangelical Christians, with a margin of error of 5.9 percent.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts
public opinion surveys in Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut,
Ohio and the nation as a public service and for research.
For additional data-www.quinnipiac.edu and quicklinks

1. If the 2006 election for governor were being held today and the candidates
were Ted Strickland the Democrat and Ken Blackwell the Republican, for whom
would you vote? (If undecided q1) As of today, do you lean more toward
Strickland or Blackwell? This table includes Leaners.

TREND: If the 2006 election for governor were being held today and the candidates
were Ted Strickland the Democrat and Ken Blackwell the Republican, for whom would
you vote? (If undecided) As of today, do you lean more toward Strickland or
Blackwell? This table includes Leaners.